


To Host A King

by Hekate1308



Series: Children of Purgatory [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Emma escaped Purgatory and is helping Dean fight against Amara AU, Gen, M/M, at the moment at least, lucifer!cas, yep another series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 11:45:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11012772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: Dad was struggling more and more.It was understandable. Cas had been one of his biggest anchors, and he was gone.Playing the devil’s vessel.She shuddered every time she thought about it.





	To Host A King

Dad was struggling more and more.

It was understandable. Cas had been one of his biggest anchors, and he was gone.

Playing the devil’s vessel.

She shuddered every time she thought about it.

They had been living with the devil for weeks.

Lucifer had enjoyed the charade apparently, or they’d all be dead.

It had felt wrong to ward the bunker against angels, but there was nothing they could do about it.

That night, she’d heard a noise on the corridor and, scared for her father, gone investigating, but had only found him in the library, carefully modulating the warding to ensure that, while nothing else could come in, Crowley could still drop by.

Of course.

They were all worried about the (former?) King of Hell, even though Sam was trying to hide it.

Wordlessly, she stepped up to her father’s side to help him.

The days passed slowly. Lucifer was not causing havoc, as far as they could tell, but they had no idea where he or Crowley were either.

And Amara...

She kept calling to Dad. She knew it.

They all did.

And as of yet no information about another hand of God.

It was just a normal afternoon – Dad had stared at the library wall for five minutes, then answered Sam without realizing he’d lost any time, Emma had finally hit a perfect score at the shooting range, and Madison had thankfully finally received a new package of hearts from Garth – when Crowley quite literally crashed into their living room.

Out of sheer coincidence Emma was the first one at his side.

 That was not the King of Hell she had come to know. He was wearing ratty jeans and a dirty t-shirt, and he looked... awful.

She swallowed.

Then Crowley opened his eyes and shot up.

To her surprise, she never fell down on the floor however, since the demon quickly caught her.

“My apologies, Miss Squirrel.”

“Crowley” she breathed.

The relief she felt surprised her.

She hadn’t realized that she’d actually come to like him over the course of their talks.

He put her back on her feet unexpectedly gently.

“What are you wearing?” was the next thing that came out of her mouth because she certainly wouldn’t have been able to imagine Crowley ever choosing to don a dirty t-shirt and ratty jeans.

He scowled.

“That is the thanks I get for not letting you tumble – “

“What the – Crowley?”

Dad’s eyes were really clear for the first time in days.

“What’s going on?”

Crowley took a deep breath, probably to complain about the unfair treatment he had received, when Dean continued, “Not that I’m not stoked Lucifer didn’t gank you, but what happened?”

The demon was still staring at him with a puzzled expression on his face when the others arrived.

“Crowley!” Madison beamed. “He didn’t kill you!”

“No” he mumbled, “No. He just...” He grimaced.

“He made me his dog” he finally admitted.

“That son of a bitch...” Dean muttered.

Emma knew she should have been concerned about the newest developments, but at least her father was thinking clearly, and Crowley was alive.

Right now, that was two wins on their side.

“So, I’m guessing you want a room? We have more than enough” Sam said.

Crowley seemed surprised, but recovered quickly enough.

“It would seem appropriate, considering how often I’ve helped you...”

“Yeah, yeah” Dean interrupted him. “Save it, Crowley. We’ve got an empty room near...” he trailed off.

“Near Cas’ room” Emma finished.

“Oh. So you know.”

“Yes. It was a rather... memorable experience” Madison supplied.

Emma bet it had been for Crowley, too. It looked like he’d been through a lot.

At least it had brought Dad out of his... trance or whatever she was supposed to call it.

“Alright. I assume you want to take a shower and change your clothes?”

“That would be... pleasant”.

“Pretty sure I still got some old t-shirts...”

Emma didn’t even want to interpret Crowley’s expression. There was something like revulsion, but also something like...

“Hey Em, can you help Madison and Sammy cleaning out the room?” he asked, touching her shoulder.

“Of course, Dad”.

Crowley’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t comment.

He just followed her father down the corridor towards the bathroom, Sam already turning to work on his room.

“So... the King of Hell is our new roomie” Madison said.

“Ex-king of hell” she reminded her.

“Please. Someone like Crowley is bound to fall on his feet.”

“So you’re not worried?”

“I didn’t say that”.

“No, of course not. Sorry”.

“Hey”. Madison hugged her.

“It’s all going to work out. We’re here, right? That’s a miracle right there. We’ll just have to find another.”

Emma nodded.

She was just worried that they’d need too many of them along the way.

Still – it turned out to be a good day.

Even if it was freaking weird to see Crowley in one of Dad’s Led Zeppelin t-shirts.

And it was not like she could forget about it, since he kept complaining he didn’t have an Armani suit to wear.

“Yeah, yeah Crowley” Dean eventually muttered. “Shut up”.

A bead of sweat slowly trickled down his cheek.

She was calling for him again.

Crowley immediately changed the subject, and after a few minutes, Dad was laughing again.

Crowley knocked on her door that night.

She’d more or less expected it, if she was being honest.

Maybe he’s just gotten used to getting his information from her.

“Crowley. Come in”.

He seemed somehow taken aback by the invitation, but still stepped her through the door.

She wondered if he’d comment on the decorations she’d put up – Lord of the Rings and Led Zeppelin posters (she had to agree with Dad, they were awesome), the books everyone kept giving her and a few knick-knacks she’d picked up on hunts.

Instead, he immediately went to her desk to study the pictures she’d taken and printed out. A little silly, really, but sometimes she just needed to hold onto good memories physically.

Like the one Crowley was holding now, the one she’d taken the day Dad let her drive the Impala for the first time. It was an awkward selfie any teenager would take with their father, and she loved it. 

“You’ve certainly found your place. I am impressed.”

If she hadn’t known better, she’d have thought he sounded jealous.

“Why are you here?”

When he didn’t answer, she clarified, “In my room.”

“It’s getting worse”.

It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes.”

“You know why and how he took on the Mark of Cain?”

“Yes.”

Of course she did. They’d hid nothing from her or Madison.

But she’d never expected the King of Hell to look sorry for it.

“It wasn’t your fault. At least... not just your fault. A lot of stuff went down.”

Crowley chuckled.

“Sounding more like daddy dearest every day.”

“It’s by far not the worst thing to sound like”.

“That’s true”.

His easy acceptance confused her a bit.

“So” she said eventually, “Do you have any idea how to deal with... her?”

She hated pronouncing her name. She hated that thing who was taking her father’s free will away, tearing it apart one day at a time.

“There is one other Hand of God. I kept it for... bad times.”

“Where is it?”

“In a storage locker. It’s safe.”

“And you came here instead of taking it and blasting Lucifer because...”

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

Through their battles and differences and trying to keep his distance – still Crowley had grown too close.

Emma knew the feeling.

“I needed to make sure no one was following me” he said finally. “The bunker is shielded so I knew they wouldn’t find me.”

“You mean the other demons?”

“They are still enthralled with Lucifer. Not a single one gets how much he hates his creations.”

“You do, at least.”

“Always have, dear. Ask your father”.

She had a picture of Cas on her desk as well, of course. She could tell his eyes had been lingering on it as he said, “He’s still alive in there, you know”.

“Are you sure?”

“I might not be as powerful as the devil, but I am able to sense when two angels occupy a vessel. He’s in there, probably feeling like he’s burning alive.”

She swallowed. Just like the rest of her family in the bunker, she’d come to love Cas.

“First things first” Crowley decided.

“We deal with Amara, then we save your stepdad.”

“He’s not...” she trailed off when Crowley gave her a pained look.

_Oh._

“Not yet” she finished.

She had the strange feeling he was thankful for hearing the truth.

He told her good night soon afterwards.

And now they had the King of Hell under their roof as well.

Emma couldn’t find it in herself to mind.

Especially because Dad was still himself the next morning, making breakfast when she entered the kitchen.

“Crowley came into my room last night” she said casually after she’d hugged him briefly.

She realized she could have worded that differently when worry flashed across Dean’s face.

“What – what was he doing in – “

“He just wanted to talk about Amara and Cas” she was quick to reassure him. “By the way, why does he keep calling me “Miss Squirrel?””

Dad shook his head.

“Remind me to show you some youtube videos later” he mumbled. “Does he have any idea – “

“Well I do have a Hand of God, since you’re asking” Crowley appeared in front of them.

“Where did you get the suit?” Dean asked immediately.

“From the nearest mall. Just because I am reduced to squatting, doesn’t mean I have to keep wearing your ratty clothes.”

Emma could easily have pointed out that he hadn’t seemed too uncomfortable yesterday but didn’t.

As soon as Sam and Madison got up, they brought them up to speed.

“So where’s this... rod and how quickly can we get it?” Dean asked.

“Not that far from here. I like to keep my assets close”.  

“Don’t we know it” Dad mumbled to himself.

“So” Sam began, clearing his throat, “Me and Dean and Crowley should probably –“

“If you’re trying to make us stay here again, Winchester, I swear to God...” Madison began.

“Sammy, haven’t we learned that  never works” Dad sighed.

“So you don’t want Emma to stay safe?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, of course I do. But first of all, they kicked some serious ass back in Purgatory, and second of all, if we leave them here, they’ll just follow us, and it’s better if we do this together”.

She grinned at her father. Damn right. They weren’t going to let them do this all by themselves.

“Sometimes you think they would learn” Madison commented casually as they strolled back to their rooms to get their bags.

“Dad did” she pointed out proudly.

“Please. Of course he did. You Winchesters and your puppy dog eyes. And you’re his daughter. He’s not supposed to be able to tell you no”.

Yes, but then, they had never worked like that. They had found their own rhythm.

It was alright. Emma didn’t expect anyone to understand. She and Dad were on the same page, and that was more than enough for her.

And so it happened that they all drove in the Impala, Crowley complaining that he had to sit in the back with Sam and Madison since Emma had claimed the passenger seat, Dean grinning proudly at her.

“Well then, let’s go and find the Hand of God”.

Their lives had just become even crazier, Dad was laughing next to her, listening to Led Zeppelin, the angel who might as well have been her step-father was still possessed by Lucifer, her uncle and Madison were whispering in the back, and the King of Hell was doing his best to act like he was suffering next to them.

And just for a moment, they found something like peace.

**Author's Note:**

> I know what you are thinking. Ha! You're only putting Crowley in the bunker because you will deny his death forever!  
> ... Yes. Yes that is exactly what I am doing. Work with me here. I'm rewriting canon while trying to work out a believable father/daughter relationship.


End file.
